Hurricane forces Houston theater to close until May
The Wortham Theater Center took on as much as 12 feet of water
HOUSTON—A Houston theater will be closed until May to repair damage caused by Hurricane Harvey.
The Houston First Corporation, which operates the Wortham Theater Center, announced Monday that the facility will be closed until May 15, the Houston Chronicle reported .
The center, which includes the Alice and George Brown Theater and the Lillie and Roy Cullen Theater, took on as much as 12 feet of water during the storm. The theaters have about 3,600 seats combined.
“Obviously, step one was getting the water out,” said Holly Clapham-Rosenow, chief marketing officer at Houston First. “Step two was making sure the air quality was sound so people could go in and do an assessment. Now we’re in step three, which is forensic work, a forensic evaluation of the structure itself, what mitigation is required. It’s all part of an over-arching plan.”
Corporation officials said that although the facilities likely avoided major structural damage, there is extensive damage to mechanical and electrical equipment. Gilbane Reconstruction Services is expected to complete a full assessment of the damage in the next few weeks.
The venue’s parking structure also took on more than 200 gallons of water, Clapham-Rosenow said.
“That’s a pretty critical project, but they’re all big connected projects, each with their own set of complications and concerns,” she said.
The closure is forcing many Houston arts groups, including the Houston Grand Opera and the Houston Ballet, to find alternative venues for their upcoming shows.
Local arts organizations are also concerned about how ticket sales will be affected by the hurricane.